The Walking Dead‘s decision to kill off Carl Grimes was one of the franchise’s biggest mistakes, but it may have just repeated history in one of its most popular spinoffs. Given the nature of the zombie series, character deaths are unavoidable and can often create some incredibly emotional scenes, but only when done right. Unfortunately, The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon‘s big departure didn’t manage this, and it’s reminiscent of the franchise’s most infamous exit. The reaction to Carl Grimes’ Walking Dead death caused major backlash and is one of the reasons often cited for people giving up on the series.

Considering the ratings had a big decline from season 8 to 9, it doesn’t seem like an empty threat, confirming that killing off Carl was detrimental to the show’s reputation. While it seemed like the franchise would learn from this mistake, Daryl Dixon may have just proven that isn’t the case. Although The Walking Dead‘s other spinoffs have frequently wasted new characters, Daryl’s series has often treated its supporting cast with care and made them crucial to the plot. However, the show just killed off one of its most promising survivors in an extremely frustrating fashion.

Isabelle Had Much More To Offer In Daryl Dixon Season 2 & Beyond

Killing Her Off Could Prove To Be A Huge Mistake

I was already a little worried that Isabelle would die in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, but killing her off just one week after Sylvie was a major surprise, especially as she had so much more to offer. With both L’Union and Pouvoir turning on Daryl, Isabelle, and the show’s other main characters, the action was becoming more exciting, and Isabelle would have been great to have around. Alongside being a compassionate character and an excellent love interest for Daryl, Isabelle was handy with a gun and could’ve played a major role in fighting off the antagonists before escaping France.

Her relationship with Daryl alongside her bond with Laurent would’ve been a fascinating dynamic to carry into season 3, but sadly, this can no longer happen. Additionally, Isabelle’s “I love you” line in Daryl Dixon episode 3 made her arguably the most important character to be introduced after the main Walking Dead show ended, but once again, Daryl misses out on his happy ending. Knowing she could have had a compelling romance with Daryl while being a potentially permanent addition to the franchise’s central survivors makes her death an extremely bitter pill to swallow, which might be a crucial mistake.

Isabelle Dying Just As Carol Arrives Makes For A Very Transparent Switch

Daryl Dixon Clearly Couldn’t Find A Way To Have Isabelle & Carol As Daryl’s Main Companions

Isabelle’s death also exposed a very obvious shift for Daryl Dixon, as Carol almost immediately replaced her as Daryl’s main companion. While it was great to see Daryl and Carol back together, it was equally heartbreaking to see the blossoming relationship between Isabelle and Daryl end. It would have been interesting to see all three characters together, but unfortunately, Carol and Isabelle’s only interaction came in the latter’s final moments. Therefore, the spinoff made it feel like an obvious swap between the two, and it clearly couldn’t find a way for both Carol and Isabelle to share the spotlight.

Carol’s solo journey was fun, but her story had to intertwine with Daryl eventually, and I’m not sure that it had to happen at the expense of Isabelle. While Daryl and Carol’s Walking Dead friendship is one of the best in the franchise, the protagonist’s relationship with Isabelle was completely different, especially since it was turning romantic. Even if having the trio share the screen led to Isabelle and Carol clashing due to their different ideologies and personalities, that could’ve added extra drama to the series and made it even more entertaining.

Unfortunately, the spinoff made the bold decision to kill off Isabelle instead, allowing Carol to take her place in a very transparent switch. It may be the easiest way to draw focus back on two of The Walking Dead‘s most iconic characters, but we lost a refreshing dynamic in the process without a big payoff, which is hard not to be upset about.

Isabelle Dies For Absolutely No Reason In Daryl Dixon Season 2

Her Death Achieves Very Little For The Overall Plot

Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of Isabelle’s death is that it was all for nothing. Although it will likely weigh on Daryl and potentially create animosity between him and Carol, her departure wasn’t particularly heroic. She managed to give Losang a cut on his face, but it hardly seemed like enough to warrant getting stabbed by a so-called pacifist. Killing Isabelle may be the event that turns Losang into a proper villain after L’Union already betrayed Daryl Dixon, but it still isn’t the noble sacrifice audiences would have expected for such a central character.

Isabelle had the potential to be an important character for years to come and killing her off without meaning isn’t how she deserved to go.

It could be argued that Isabelle’s death is a reminder of how brutal The Walking Dead universe is and that every departure doesn’t always have a purpose, but that still feels like a massive waste. Isabelle had the potential to be an important character for years to come and killing her off without meaning isn’t how she deserved to go. If she went out protecting Laurent or even Daryl, it would have felt like a heartbreaking yet fitting end to her story. Instead, she was stabbed out of frustration and died without really impacting the overall plot.

Hopefully, Daryl sees some significant changes throughout the rest of the season and beyond, but episode 4’s ending suggests he’s back on the same page as Carol and will quickly get over Isabelle’s death, even if it hurts. As a result, her final moments feel like nothing more than some extra ammunition for Daryl to protect Laurent, which he was already committed to anyway.

What Isabelle’s Death Means For Daryl Dixon Season 2’s Ending & Season 3

Isabelle’s Death Could Still Have A Major Impact On Daryl Going Forward

With Isabelle gone, the remainder of Daryl Dixon season 2 and the future of season 3 look completely different. Norman Reedus claimed Daryl Dixon‘s season 2’s final episode is the greatest hour of Walking Dead television ever, indicating that it would end with a bang. While the actor’s comment could have alluded to Isabelle’s death happening in the finale, the fact she is already gone means the story will be very different. Daryl may have a softer side, but without Isabelle, his bond with Laurent could suffer as he has a tendency to lash out in times of stress.

New episodes of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol air Sundays on AMC and AMC+.

In addition, getting over Isabelle won’t be easy for Daryl, especially as his previous romance ended in tragedy. Therefore, the protagonist may be more aggressive and hot-headed throughout the remainder of seasons 2 and 3, which could create even more enemies for the main group. Daryl Dixon will certainly have a big hole in it now that one of its major characters has been written out, and while season 3 could potentially offer some sort of replacement, it will be hard to fill Isabelle’s shoes, suggesting the show’s tone will face a permanent shift because of her absence.